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  Idnumber 1103
  County Rogaland
  Capital Stavanger
  Landscape Jæren
  Governor Leif Johan Sevland
  Governor As Of 2005
  Arearank 406
  Area 71
  Arealand 68
  Areapercent 002
  Population As Of 2006
  Populationrank 4
  Population 115,157
  Populationpercent 246
  Populationdensity 1,650
  Populationincrease 95
  Language Bokmål
  Lat Deg 58 lat_min=57 lat_sec=48 lon_deg=5 lon_min=43 lon_sec=8
  Utm Zone 32V utm_northing=6540617 utm_easting=0311353 geo_cat=city(112,405)
  Coatofarms
  Map <!--Replace with County map-->
  Munwebpage wwwstavangerkommuneno


Stavanger is a city and Municipality in the County of Rogaland , Norway , located on the southwest coast of Norway. It is the fourth largest city and the centre of the third largest metropolitan area in the country. The climate is Maritime mild temperate ( Marine West Coast - cfb) and rather windy, with all monthly averages above freezing, and precipitation 1200 mm/year. Summers are pleasant and lowland areas in and around Stavanger has the longest Growing Season in Norway (220 days).

The city itself is a combination of new and old. There is a significant foreign influence with a nearby and Stokkavatnet are situated right outside.

Stavanger Airport is located 14 Km from the city centre, in the municipality of Sola . One of the local Football teams, Viking F.K. , plays in the Norwegian Top League ( 2004 ). The city now has a brand new football stadium, Viking Stadion , which was opened in 2004.

POPULATION

Depending on how you measure it, Stavanger is the 3rd or 4th biggest city in Norway. The municipality itself has only 115,000 inhabitants, compared to Trondheim municipality's 158,000. However, most people in the greater Stavanger Metropolitan Area live in surrounding municipalities. Around 205,000 people live within 25 minutes of driving from downtown Stavanger, making it Norway's 3rd largest Conurbation .


HISTORY


Stavanger (Old Norse 'Stafangr' which means Staff-fjord) was founded in the year 1125 , mainly because the Stavanger bisphopric was established in the 1120s. But even before that time Stavanger fulfilled an important urban role. A number of historians have argued convincingly that Nord- Jæren was an economic and military centre as far back as the 800-900s with the consolidation of the nation at Hafrsfjord . Stavanger grew into a centre of civic administration and an important south-west coast Market Town around 1100-1200. With the reformation in 1536, Stavanger's role as a religious centre declined, and the establishment of Kristiansand in the early 17th century led to the relocation of the bisphopric. However, rich herring fisheries in the 19th century gave the city new life.

The city's history is a continuous alternation between upswings and recessions. The city and its surroundings is deeply rooted in religion and Christian life, and for long periods of time its most important industries have been Shipping , Shipbuilding , the Canning Industry and associated subcontractors.

In 1969 a new upswing started as oil was first discovered in the North Sea. After much discussion Stavanger was chosen to be the on-shore center for the oil industry on the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, and a period of hectic growth followed. In 2003 Norway was the world's third largest exporter of crude oil.


MODERN STAVANGER


Since petroleum exploration and production became the most important business sector in the Stavanger area during the mid 1970s, business and cultural climate has changed considerably. The self-esteem of Stavanger people has been strongly reinforced and there is a considerable amount of entrepreneurial spirit. There is a powerful consciousness of the area's large contribution to GNP. The petroleum sector is strongly globalised and it can be argued that the Stavanger area is one of the most dynamic and receptive regions in Norway in terms of business and culture.

The city of Stavanger is now running out of land for future development for housing and industry. To rectify this, the administration has approached the neighboring municipalities (Norwegian: Kommuner), in particular Sandnes . The process has been challenged by Stavanger's lack of ability in demonstrating the benefits for anyone but themselves. Thus, it seems evident that the growth in the area will take place outside the boundaries of Stavanger.

The largest oil company in Stavanger is mainly state-owned oil company Statoil who have their headquarters located in the suburbian area of Forus , located between neighboring Sandnes and Stavanger. University Of Stavanger with about 10,000 students was granted full University status beginning January 1, 2005.

The NATO Joint Warfare Centre is also located at Forus.

More history from Stavanger here: http://stavangerguiden.com/Historie/historie.htm


TOURISM


For tourists, an interesting suggestion is to head for the hills. Two of the best day hikes in Norway (some would say in the world) are located a couple of hours out of town on the beautiful Lysefjorden . Not too far from Stavanger, alpine centers are ready for skiers and snowboarders throughout winter season.

Prekestolen (aka the Pulpit Rock) is a massive rock overhanging the fjord. It's a 3-4 hour round trip hike with fabulous views. Kjeragbolten is a rock wedged in the cliff 1000 meters above the fjord. It's a more strenuous 4-5 hour hike out and a longer drive, but a spectacular look down from the rock. The free fall makes Kjerag a very popular location for BASE Jumping .

Along the coast south of Stavanger there are a number of large, sandy beaches, among which the one at Sola is within closest reach from the city. The beaches are quite unique in a country where fjords and mountains dominate. These beaches are widely used by the locals for walks and wind surfers all year around and for bathing during summer.

For the more urban minded, Old Stavanger ( Gamle Stavanger ) is located right next to the city centre. This collection of Eighteenth- and Nineteenth Century wooden structures is one of the finest in Northern Europe. Most houses in Old Stavanger are privately owned and maintained, and in the area you will also find the studios of a number of local artists and artisans. The Norwegian Canning Museum is also located in Old Stavanger, commemorating the city's past glory as the Herring capital of Norway. The city centre itself is small and intimate, with narrow streets and open spaces protected from car traffic. The open-air vegetable market is one of the very few in Norway (if not the only one) where you can buy produce directly from local farmers every working day through the year. Stavanger Domkirke (St. Svithun's cathedral) was built between 1100 and 1125 by the English bishop Reinald in Anglo-Norman style, and in the late 13th century a new choir was added in Gothic style, with a vaulted roof. Among old stone churches in Norway the cathedral in Stavanger is among the best preserved. The cathedral is recognized as one of Norway's most beautiful medieval structures. The Norwegian Petroleum Museum is located at the harbour. The museum reflects the fact that Stavanger has been Norway's oil capital since oil drilling activities started in the North Sea in 1966.

Every May, Stavanger is host to MaiJazz , the Stavanger International Jazz Festival. Stavanger was the host port of the Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Race in 1997 and 2004.


SISTER CITIES

Stavanger has several sister cities, they are:


EXTERNAL LINKS